Solar-powered aircraft

Solar Impulse - The gigantic dimensions of this ultra-lightweight revolutionary airplane - capable of flying day and night without fuel - are its trademark feature. To build it, the whole team had to push back the frontiers of knowledge in materials science, energy management and the man-machine interface. Every one of its take-offs, propelled silently by its four electric motors, inspires us to consider using clean, new technologies to free our society, little by little, from dependence on fossil energy.

Journey across America 2013
  • Solar Impulse landing at Cincinnati Lunken (KLUK) this past Friday around 8pm after a flight from St. Louis, Mo. video 3:18

  • Design Challenge statement

Questions correspond to the steps in the Engineering Design Process.
  • Ask (What? Ask questions, understand the need, identify the problem, define)
  • Imagine (So what? Imagine, brainstorm, explore, discover)
  • Plan (Now what? Plan, design)
  • Create (Do it. Create, try it out)
  • Improve (If this then what? Improve, make it better)
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Engineering vocabulary, concepts


Show and Tell
Now it is your turn. Here are some challenges for you to work on...

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